The present invention relates generally to the paint ball shooting devices, and more particularly, is directed to a paint ball grenade that can simultaneously shoot a plurality of paint balls.
In the game of paint ball, each person has a gun that shoots tiny balls of paint at another person. When a paint ball impacts, the paint from the paint ball splatters against the person who is shot. However, in many times, a person would like to hit multiple people with paint balls at the same time. This may happen, for example, when a person is in close proximity to multiple players from an opposing team. However, this is extremely difficult with a single paint ball gun.
Although the concept of providing multiple projectiles from a grenade is known from U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,944,521; 5,877,448; and 5,996,503, these devices rely on a mechanical pin being pulled and/or a lever operated in order to rupture a compressed gas cylinder in the interior of the grenade so that the compressed gas from the cylinder operates to eject the paint balls. Various ones of these devices also provide a delayed firing arrangement. For example, U.S. Pat. No. 4,944,521 discloses the use of plugs in the passages leading to the paint balls to provide a delay in the firing of the paint balls from the release of the compressed gas. This, however, relies on the friction of the plugs in the passages, which can vary, and therefore, the delay time can be difficult to gauge. U.S. Pat. No. 5,996,503 uses a plunger connected with the handle lever to provide the delay. However, this device relies on suction of the plunger, which will vary depending upon such conditions as temperature, humidity, etc., and is therefore not very reliable.
In addition, with all of these devices, if one paint ball is ejected prior to the others, there will be much less resistance in the passageway leading to that paint ball. As a result, the compressed gas will travel along the path of least resistance, namely, the passageway corresponding to the first paint ball that had been fired. Accordingly, the other paint balls may not be fired.
Accordingly, it is an object of the present invention to provide a paint ball grenade that overcomes the problems with the aforementioned prior art.
It is another object of the present invention to provide a paint ball grenade which will simultaneously shoot a plurality of paint balls.
It is still another object of the present invention to provide a paint ball grenade that has a timer mechanism in order to delay firing and give the person activating the grenade time to retreat.
It is yet another object of the present invention to provide a paint ball grenade that can be remotely detonated.
It is a further object of the present invention to provide a paint ball grenade that does not require a separate canister of compressed gas inside the device, but rather, provides a rechargeable base, along with a valve arrangement which can be opened to permit the compressed gas to flow through and eject the paint balls.
It is a still further object of the present invention to provide a paint ball grenade which uses a chemical reaction to produce the dual effect of driving a piston down in order to open the valve arrangement and permit the flow of compressed air, and also acting as a timer mechanism.
It is a yet further object of the present invention to provide a paint ball grenade having reed valves associated with the ejection of the paint balls so that after the initial blast of compressed air to eject each paint ball, the reed valve associated therewith is closed, thereby preventing the rapid escape of unused compressed gas.
It is another object of the present invention to provide a paint ball grenade that is easy and economical to use and manufacture.
In accordance with an aspect of the present invention, a paint ball grenade includes a base having a chamber for holding a compressed gas, an outer housing mounted on the base, the outer housing including a plurality of guides through which fluid communication is provided between an interior of the outer housing and an exterior of the outer housing, each guide adapted to releasably hold a paint ball, a valve arrangement for blocking fluid communication between the chamber and the interior of the housing in a first position and for permitting fluid communication between the chamber and the interior of the housing in a second position, and an actuator for opening the valve arrangement to provide fluid communication between the chamber and the interior of the housing such that the paint balls in the guides are ejected from the guides.
The valve arrangement includes a housing having an inlet opening in fluid communication with the chamber, an outlet opening in fluid communication with the interior of the outer housing, and a sealing member movable between the first position in blocking relation between the inlet and outlet openings and the second position out of the blocking relation between the inlet and outlet openings. The housing further includes a bore between the inlet and outlet openings, with the sealing member including a sealing piston slidably mounted in the bore.
The actuator includes a spring member positioned in the bore for biasing the sealing piston out of the bore to the second position. The actuator further includes a restraining abutment for maintaining the sealing member in the first position in blocking relation between the inlet and outlet openings, and a device for moving the restraining abutment such that the sealing member can move to the second position out of the blocking relation between the inlet and outlet openings.
The device for moving the restraining abutment includes a tower mounted on the base and positioned within the outer housing, a rod having one end connected with the restraining abutment, an actuating piston connected with an opposite end of the rod and movably mounted within the tower, and a piston driver for moving the actuating piston in the tower so that the restraining abutment moves with the actuating piston out of blocking relation to the sealing piston such that the sealing piston is biased by the spring member to the second position out of the blocking relation between the inlet and outlet openings.
The piston driver includes a device for mixing two ingredients to form a chemical reaction of an expanding gas to move the actuating piston such that the restraining abutment moves with a time delay with the actuating piston out of the blocking relation to the sealing piston. Preferably, the ingredients are vinegar and baking soda. Specifically, the device for mixing includes a device for breaking containers in the tower which hold one ingredient such that the one ingredient mixes with the other ingredient to form the chemical reaction. In a preferred embodiment, the device for breaking includes an upper closure member for the tower, a rod slidably mounted in the tower, and an enlarged head mounted to an end of the rod in the tower such that slidable movement of the rod crushes the containers between the upper closure member and the enlarged head so as to free the one ingredient from the containers.
In another embodiment, the actuating piston is replaced by a solenoid connected with an opposite end of the rod and mounted within the tower for reciprocally moving the rod so that the restraining abutment moves with the rod out of blocking relation to the sealing piston such that the sealing piston is biased by the spring member to the second position out of the blocking relation between the inlet and outlet openings. In order to remotely actuate the solenoid, a receiver is electrically connected with the solenoid for actuating the solenoid in response to a transmitted signal from a remote location.
In addition, the guides are mounted to an outer surface of the outer housing, and the outer housing includes a plurality of openings in alignment with the guides for providing the fluid communication between the interior of the outer housing and the exterior of the outer housing.
In accordance with another aspect of the present invention, a paint ball grenade includes a supply of compressed gas, an outer housing including a plurality of guides through which fluid communication is provided between an interior of the outer housing and an exterior of the outer housing, each guide adapted to releasably hold a paint ball, an arrangement for supplying the compressed gas from the supply to the outer housing for ejecting the paint balls from the guides, and a valve arrangement separately associated with each guide for substantially preventing further supply of the compressed gas through each guide after the paint ball in the respective guide has been ejected therefrom.
The valve arrangement includes a reed valve associated with an inlet of each guide, the reed valve permitting fluid communication between the supply and the respective guide when a paint ball is positioned in the guide and which substantially prevents the fluid communication between the supply and the respective guide when the paint ball has been ejected from the guide. The valve arrangement further includes a pin connected with each reed valve for biasing the respective reed valve to an open position when a paint ball is positioned in the guide.
In accordance with still another aspect of the present invention, a paint ball grenade includes a base having a chamber for holding a compressed gas, an outer housing mounted on the base, the outer housing including a plurality of guides through which fluid communication is provided between an interior of the outer housing and an exterior of the outer housing, each guide adapted to releasably hold a paint ball, a first valve arrangement for blocking fluid communication between the chamber and the interior of the housing in a first position and for permitting fluid communication between the chamber and the interior of the housing in a second position, an actuator for opening the first valve arrangement to provide fluid communication between the chamber and the interior of the housing such that the paint balls in the guides are ejected from the guides, and a second valve arrangement separately associated with each guide for substantially preventing further supply of the compressed gas through each guide after the paint ball in the respective guide has been ejected therefrom.
The above and other objects, features and advantages of the invention will become readily apparent from the following detailed description thereof which is to be read in connection with the accompanying drawings.